Second Chances
by mcrollins4ever
Summary: She decided to go back. Even after she knew that the great love of her life had gone on without her. With someone else. But if there is something that time can not erase are true loves. And the love between Steve McGarrett and Catherine Rollins is one that can last for several lives and not find an end.
1. Chapter 1

Okay guys, I'm a big fan of Steve and I just want the guy to be happy for a change.

And yes, I think Catherine could make him happy if the writers had not destroyed their story the way they did.

I also know that all the lies and abandonments of Cath can not be so easily forgotten and that all of this must have hurt Steve irrevocably. But I also know that love is compassionate and I think the love that both feel for each other can overcome these problems

Just as I know that if that were to happen, it would not be easy, neither quick nor painless for both of them.

So this story was born. In it I'm going to try to work all the shit the writers played in their relationship. I imagine a rugged and difficult road, but there will be a happy ending as I think both deserve.

I do not own H50, if I owned it, Steve and Cath would be married by now.

And go easy on me, English is not my first language.

Enjoy!

* * *

She did not know what she was going to find. In fact, she tried not to create any expectation, but it was difficult.

The very motive of returning to Hawaii when she was not even native to the island was an expectation. To find the people she once called a family. To find the man she loves.

She knew Steve had moved on. That she had left the guy alone and that he had finally understood that she did not put him as a priority in her life. But it had hurt like a son of a bitch to find out that he really had someone else.

Lynn. She was beautiful. Friendly. And she clearly cared a lot about Steve. Maybe it was selfish of her to just go back now, after the guy had started his life again.

But she had not been able to concentrate on anything since she'd discovered he was going to propose to her. What she had always dreamed for, had almost come true. If she had not accepted that assignment and lied to Steve one more time.

She was taken from her reverie when her suitcase appeared on the baggage carousel. She picked up her luggage and headed for the outside area of the airport, in search of a taxi.

Feeling the air and the scent of Hawaii, which she had learned to love over the years, her eyes filled with tears.

For a moment she hesitated and thought that perhaps all this was a huge mistake. That she should rush back and get the first plane far away.

She did not know if her heart would stand to see Steve and Lynn together.

But she would be damned if she would give up this time.

She was looking for her happy ending this time.

And she knew that only a man in this world would be able to make her happy.


	2. Chapter 2

_Hi guys!_

 _I had an amazing answer to my first chapter, I was so happy that you people really enjoyed my storyline._

 _I agree with all the comments and I will respond one by one with all my love, ok?_

 _Now let's go to the second chapter._

 _Catherine is returning step by step. She still needs to readjust to Hawaii. But destiny will take care of putting her before her greatest interest before she imagines._

* * *

Catherine returned to her old house.

It was a great proof that she intended to return one day, that she did not stop paying the lease every month.

His car was also in the garage, completely dusty.

She went into the house, put her small backpack next to the door, and began to pull the sheets that protected the furniture.

She did not lose the irony of her life compared to returning to her former home. Removing dust from everything.

She also needed to get the dust out of her friends' abandonment. If she still had some left.

After starting to organize her house, take a shower and put on clean clothes, Catherine decided to go out to eat something.

Even before she could to notice, she was heading for the Kamekona's truck. Old habits are slow to be lost and perhaps some would never get lost.

She reached the familiar place and smiled at all the good memories of her best days, now she could see.

Kamekona ran to her as soon as he saw her, the guy was always gentle and loving and she found herself with a lump in her throat, every thing she revived, reminded her of everything she had lost with her escape to become CIA agent.

"Hey Sistah! Walking around our island?"

And it hurt. Even Kamekona knew she did not live here anymore and considered her a tourist.

"No, Kame, I'm back."

"Forever?"

"Yeah, forever."

And she hoped it was true this time.

"I know some people who will be happy with your return."

"I'm not so sure, I upset some of my best friends here."

"If you're talking about a certain haole detective, he just wants the good of Big Kahuna Steve."

"I know that Kame, now I'm starving, how about a dish of garlic shrimp that only you know how to do?"

"Of course! And welcome back sistah. And don't worry, they'll be happy with the news."

* * *

Catherine was eating distractedly as a movement and familiar voices caught her eye. She froze in place, that was not how she wanted to meet Steve again. But if fate was playing like that, she would take the chance as best she could.

She then turned to see Steve and Danny arguing about something, no news there and at least that view of something that had not changed with his absence was comforting.

Who first saw her was Danny. His eyes met and he gaped and she tried to manage a smile. She was sure it was not convincing.

Soon after, Steve followed Danny's gaze. There was a second of something like love, but it was soon over. She knew Steve enough to know that this was his way of trying to protect herself from suffering and she felt sick to know that he was trying to protect herself from her. From the suffering she has caused to his soft heart over the years.

She held her breath as they approached the table where she sat. It would never fail to impress her how incredible and confident Steve was. What made her think: _'Where the hell was my head when I let him go?'_

"Catherine…"

Steve said and she did not miss the attempt to seem indifferent of the guy who one day said he loved her.

"Steven…"

His lips creased into a small smile, but that made her heart skip a beat. She never forgot his incredible smiles.

"Back in any case? Or was Doris in trouble again?"

Danny questioned and there was real hostility in him. She did not expect anything less, after all she'd lied to him before she left. He just wanted to protect Steve from hurting himself again and she had lied. Okay, hiding the truth, but she did it intentionally and the detective was smart enough to put the things together. So, of course he was upset

"No case. And I have not heard from Doris in a long time.

Steve glanced worriedly at her as he heard that his mother was deep in the ground again.

Steve and Danny sat in front of her with suspicious looks on their faces and she was saved from more strangeness when Kamekona appeared again.

"Looks like you found my two favorite haoles sistah!"

Danny rolled his eyes and Steve just smiled, Danny realized that the mere presence of Catherine had made the smile of his friend brighter.

"Yes, fate played matchmaker."

"I suppose they already know the news?"

"What news?"

Danny immediately asked and Steve frowned as he does whenever he was worried or confused. Catherine did not even have time to open her mouth before Kamekona spoke for her.

"Sistah here has definitely returned to the island."

"Wow! Some news there Rollins."

Danny said while Steve was paralyzed in place.

"Came back? Forever?"

And it hurt again the hope she felt in the light stutter of Steve's voice. It would be hard work to get him to trust her again.

"Yes. To my old house, my old car, my old life ..."

"When you arrived? Steve asked, still not believing she was back to stay."

"Today. I was going to look for you some other time, but life apparently had other plans ..."

"Is not that a cover? To catch some criminal that the CIA thinks is on the island?"

One more blow. And she knew she deserved it. How could he trust her? Last time she told him she was going to do humanitarian work when it was all just a cover for a case.

"No, Steve. It's not a cover, I'm back. I'm not CIA anymore."

Steve's mouth fell open, Danny, who was making lunch orders for Kamekona, stopped on his tracks and looked at Catherine, reflecting his partner's disbelieving gaze.

"Why?"

"I discovered that I have more important people than I left behind."

"So you just came back? It went through your head that maybe these people you abandoned did not stop in time to simply wait for you? Danny was caustic. She was annoyed at Steve's partner, but she could understand. Steve had been hurt too many times by the people he most trusted, she was one of them and Danny was just being the incredible friend of ever trying to protect him."

"Danny, it's okay..."

"No, it's not okay. Last time she told me she wanted nothing more than to stay here with you Steve. And then she just gone. She lied to him, to me, and disappeared. I stayed here to get all the shards when she left, I was here when you discovered that she lied and became CIA. Now she say she's back. Do you think that is so simple?"

"Danny! This is my private business, don't you think?"

Steve yelled at Danny that once again was taking over the reins of Steve's life without the ex-SEAL wishing. He knew his partner was just being super-protective, but he was a grown man and could fight his battles alone.

Catherine's jaw dropped. She expected some resistance from Danny and the team, but this open hostility she did not expect. And it hurt like hell. She also loved Danny as a friend.

"Okay, sorry."

An uncomfortable silence fell between the three of them. Danny just watched. It was clear that Steve still had feelings for Catherine and that she also had the same feelings for his friend. But their relationship was never simple. And now, he had doubts if they would be able to work around all the lie and betrayal that had happened.

And Steve was really trying to move on. He had tried with Lynn and now he was approaching Alicia.

They were saved from discomfort by Kamekona bringing his orders. The three of them concentrated on having lunch and did very little talking. Clumsy farewells were cut short when Steve's cell phone rang announcing a break in the case they were currently investigating.

Catherine just watched the man she loved steer away from her like she was a stranger.

It would take more work than she thought. Even more so now, with Danny as a guard dog around Steve.

But Catherine was never one to give up easy.

* * *

 _I know this sounds very slow, but I can not imagine Catherine coming back and Steve simply running into her arms and forgetting about everything that happened in the past. In my head there will be some hard work to be done on her part to regain not only Steve, but everyone she left behind._

 _Danny will be a pain in the butt at the beginning because he is afraid that his friend will be hurt once again._

 _I've already taken Lynn out of the picture because I find that novel completely unnecessary, but I put Alicia just to complicate things a little more, after all, Cath will have to do for deserving the love of Super SEAL back._

 _Thanks again for all the encouragement and I will try very hard not to take so long to post the next chapter._

 _Mahalo!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Hey guys!_

 _Again thank you very much for the positive return to my humble little story._

 _I'm glad to hear that so many people have the same opinion as I do about Steve and Cath's relationship._

 _I'm working so that both can forgive each other. They have a lot to talk about yet, a lot to prove to each other._

 _No, I do not believe Steve is a 100% victim in the story, as you will see throughout the chapter._

 _There will be some action and some drama along the way, because what a great love story if not have too much drama and tears._

 _But I promise you, the end will be happy, as we want!_

I hope you like and forgive my grammar mistakes, as I said, English is not my main language.

* * *

Steve spent the rest of the day completely stunned.

Zero concentration, which led him to take a shot in the arm during the fall of the case that they were investigating. Danny was furious, although the wound was minor, with no need for surgery, only a few stitches and a few days' rest for the injured appendix, his partner was still upset.

Because everyone knew the reason for Steve's lack of concentration.

He himself knew that seeing Catherine again resurrected in him several conflicting feelings. It was undeniable that he still loved her. He never denied this to anyone or to himself, but Steve knew that some relationships were bound to fail, even if love was true.

And after years of misunderstandings, lies and betrayals he'd accepted that was his harsh reality and Catherine. They loved each other, but not enough to make the relationship work.

But that does not mean he had not been moved by her presence and by the revelation that she was going to stay on the island for good.

Her brain was working overtime trying to dispel thoughts that if it had really come back to stay definitely maybe things could be different this time around.

Reason and heart were warring and this almost caused a tragedy in the take-down of earlier.

Steve was relieved that only him had been injured, that no one besides him was harmed because his mistake and that the criminals were where they should be, in jail.

Now he just needed to go home, rest and put his thoughts in place.

As if it were as easy to do as it was to plan.

* * *

From his office Danny kept looking at his dumb partner who had managed to get shot again.

Both had a bullet-magnet arm, and today McGarrett's had taken yet another shot. Danny does not know how Steve's damn paint could keep intact after so many holes over time.

The detective's heart ached for his best friend and brother. He knew that Catherine's return would destroy any pretense of stability in Steve's ever so troubled life.

The guy just could not get a break from life.

Although Danny knew that Catherine would always be the great love in Steve's life, everyone knew their relationship was as fragile as glass. A glass with lots of cracks.

Not that the native Jersey only blamed Catherine for failure. Steve had a great deal of blame for everything that happened, after all the idiot never took the next step that every relationship needs at some point, hell, the guy never called Catherine from his girlfriend officially. He has always treated her as a friend, someone who is not fundamental, important.

And how could the woman choose the ex-SEAL among all the other choices in her life if Steve had never placed Cath as a priority?

He could understand why she always sought stability elsewhere.

Steve did not even dare ask Catherine to marry him before she left. She would surely have changed her mind if he'd made the proposal, after all, it was as clear as day in the brown eyes she loved him.

And now she was back and all Steve's pretension for peace, and consequently Danny's, had been thrown out the window.

He really wants your friend to be happy. He deserves it.

If it were true that Catherine came back to stay, Danny was willing to swallow his pride and fight for the relationship of the two idiots.

But he knew it would be a long and painful journey.

But he would do anything for Steve.

* * *

Catherine was determined. She would fight for Steve.

Even after the strange, sarcastic encounter of today, she was sure there was still a spark of feelings for her in Steve's eyes, even if he tried so hard to hide it.

But she was a girl with a purpose and she knew Steve like nobody else and knew that his inside, what really matters, would never change. That hard exterior and those walls he put just to get a tough image were just the shell, the real Steve she had the pleasure to meet was sweet, gentle, concerned about who he loves and able to sacrifice his life for the greater good.

And that kind of a person simply does not forget a great love.

Catherine wanted to talk to Steve alone. No Danny watchdog around. Then she dressed carefully, with a clothes she knew he liked, with a perfume he gave her as a gift and went to Steve's house, there she knew she would have a chance to speak what she really felt and the which is why she decided to return.

* * *

Steve was sitting on one of the lanai chairs, staring at the ocean, right arm injured in a sling, beer in his left hand, Eddie lying at his feet. Anyone who looked at him would believe that despite his injured arm he was in peace.

But all that the former Navy SEAL felt at the time was not peace.

Reviewing Catherine had turned his head. He had long ago made peace with the fact that he would most likely never see her again and that she would never return to Hawaii. Now he was dealing with the unexpected news that she was back to stay.

And Steve wanted to continue his life normally but it was absolutely impossible. The mere notion that the great love of his life was on the island was like a magnet to which he was drawn with no chance to depart.

He was slowly approaching Alicia, felt that they both had chemistry, that there might be some real chance of a successful relationship between them. The two had souls tortured by life, by the people they loved, immense traumas without size and understood each other.

But there was no passion. Much less love.

Steve sighed and took another sip of his beer, looked down at his feet, and smiled at Eddie as he slept peacefully. At least one was peaceful in this house today.

He was abruptly removed from his reverie by the doorbell of his house. Frowning at the unexpected visitor, Steve stood up with a sore grunt. Being shot was not a walk in the park.

Eddie raised his ears and ran beside his new human toward the door, every stance ready to defend Steve from whoever was at the entrance of the house. Steve smiled again, at least someone cared enough to protect him.

The doorbell rang again, and the ex-SEAL approached the door, opened it to stop on his tracks when he saw Catherine there.

The surprised look that he was sure adorned his face was reflected in Catherine's brown eyes, which immediately looked at his injured arm and a look of concern replaced the initial shock.

"Steve! Did you get hurt? Are you okay?" And there was the sweet, worried woman he loved so much. But he had promised himself he would not give in so easily.

"Hey Cath. What a surprise. It's just a flesh wound, doctors are always exaggerated."

"Oh yeah, of course, because you've never minimized an injury before." Catherine responded in the same tone she always wore when he tried to say that everything was fine even with a broken leg. The conversation was so familiar and natural that it took Steve out of breath for a moment.

"I'm not lying, it was just a lucky shot of the perp, picked up scratch, just five points. Do you want to come in?" Steve continued, finding his good manners and using his upbringing, though his skeptical side was screaming at him not to go on with it.

"Yes, I wanted to talk to you. Again. Alone." It was then that she looked down and saw Eddie, who was sitting next to Steve with a dubious face, ready to attack if his human asked.

"Do you have a dog now? You've always been a cat person ... "

Eddie gave a soft bark and Steve laughed.

"Yeah, that's just one of the things that changed in my life after you left."

And again he lets out a jab. But she's willing to take them all.

"He's very cute. It seems to be very sweet too." Catherine said, bending down and rubbing Eddie's ears that he could not resist and lay on his belly up to be pampered. Steve rolled his eyes.

"He is incredible. It's a long story…"

"I have all the time in the world."

Steve looked at her, his mutating eyes so green now and Catherine wanted nothing more than to kiss him. But she would have to wait, be strong and go with her plan, to have any chance of regaining him.

Steve then opened the door wider for her to enter, Eddie followed them and the ex-SEAL went to the refrigerator, took out a longboard and handed it to his ex-girlfriend-almost-fiancée who followed him onto the lanai.

When they both reached the chairs on the edge of the beach, Catherine breathed in the scent of the sea she so longed for.

"It's so good to be back."

Steve just stared at her, not knowing what to say. He still could not understand what Catherine wanted from him. Again.

"Catch, I'm sorry for the honesty, I do not want to be rude, but why did you come back?"

Catherine looked at the man in front of her, took a deep breath, and bet everything on the words that would come out of her mouth at this moment:

"I came back for you, Steve."


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey guys!_

 _Thanks for all the reviews, accesses and new followers, this is the best incentive I could receive. You are amazing. I'll answer everyone individually, okay?_

 _Well, the real drama begins in this chapter. There is a part of the conversation that Steve and Cath need to have, but that's not all; it's a lot to settle for, a single conversation is very little, but this is undoubtedly the beginning of healing for their relationship, though it does not look like it._

 _I hope you enjoy it and once again take it easy on me if my grammar mistakes irritate you, I'm doing my best._

* * *

 _"I came back for you, Steve."_

Catherine told the truth. That was exactly why she had come back. The time she spent away from Steve working for the CIA was amazing professionally but terrible for her personally. She never felt so sad and lonely.

And as she thought about her future, she was sure. The only chance to be truly happy was to go back to Hawaii and the life she had so casually left behind.

Obviously Catherine is an intelligent woman and knew that she would find many changes and resistance, but it was not in her blood to give up something without a good fight.

She had a job forwarded in Pearl. She still had contacts in the Navy and they had a proposal for her. It also helped her make the decision to go back. She loves Steve and wants to be with him for the rest of her life, but she also needs a job. And working on Pearl and regaining Steve would be like a dream.

One of them was on his way.

The other was staring at her with huge frightened gray-blue eyes.

It would be hard work to convince him.

"What? You came back for me?" Steve did not want to believe in this change of heart yet, he needed to protect himself from another disappointment with Catherine.

"I came back because I finally understood that I can't be happy if I'm away from you." Catherine said with tears in her eyes.

"Cath ..." Steve sighed and said the only thing his mouth was able to articulate.

"Please let me get you back, your trust, your love ..." She knew she was almost begging, but she did not care.

"Cath, there was a time when I would give anything to hear this from you ... but now ... a lot has changed in my life. I don't know if we can pick up where we left off, it's very complicated." He pressed the tip of his nose with his good hand, along with his injured shoulder, now he also had a killer headache.

"I know it's not simple, Steve. But I'm willing to fight and show you that we can work if we both fight for it..."

"You abandoned me Cath. With an engagement ring in my pocket..." Steve interrupted, before she could finish.

"I didn't know! You never proposed me! I would have said yes! I would have stayed if you had asked..." Tears ran freely over his face now.

"How could I ask you to marry me when you simply told me that I was not enough for you, that you needed a greater reason to live and that that reason couldn't be me?"

"I never said you were not enough! I said I needed to feel needed somewhere and that Five-0 was yours, that I didn't want to be a shadow of you in your task force, but you were always more than enough." She said between sobs and Steve started to feel like an idiot for making her cry.

"Cath ... I love you. I will always love you. But we are completely incompatible. You are a free soul, who likes to leave when you want and I no longer have that availability. I have a stable life here in Hawaii, I can't accompany you on your adventures and I don't even want to be here waiting for you without knowing if I'll see you again one day, I can't do this anymore..."

"I need a chance Steve ... that's all I'm asking you ..."

"It's not so simple Cath ... I am ... I'm different now. Much has happened."

"What really matters to me has not changed."

"You don't know that."

"So tell me, what could have changed so dramatically?"

Steve just laughed, a bitter laugh. He could not believe she was coming back and simply wanting to continue where she left off, as if leaving and lying was nothing.

"I'm no longer willing to give up my heart to be trampled when you decide to leave on a mission again."

"I already told you, I'm no longer CIA. I left the agency. I have a proposal from Pearl to train new recruits from NI. I came back to stay Steve, I'm telling the truth this time. Please believe me."

"The truth like when you told me you were teaching in Afghanistan but you were CIA? The truth as when you came back and told Danny that you wanted to stay and then disappeared by lying that you was going to do humanitarian work? I'm tired of that kind of truth Cath."

Catherine smiled, a sad smile with tears in her eyes. She was prepared to be rejected by Steve at first, but the reality was much harder than she imagined. She never thought he could address such harsh words to her. But then she remembered when he found out she was lying about Doris. He'd been hard on her, had been pissed for a while, but then he came back and the two got it right. She was clinging to it now again, that it would take her a while to process all of this, but that he would return to her.

"I'll prove to you that I'm telling the truth, Steve. That you can trust me again, that I love you enough to stay. "Catherine said as she got up and headed for the exit of Steve's house. The ex-SEAL made no move to follow her. Catherine then wiped her eyes and left, heartbroken, but the same determination as she had arrived. It would not be easy, but she was sure she would.

"I need more than words Cath." Steve murmured when Catherine had left.

* * *

On Saturday Danny stood up bright and early to visit his idiot partner who had gotten shot again.

He was worried about Steve and not just because of his injury, his recent transplant or radiation poisoning that was still a problem, but also worried about the whole thing with Catherine.

If Danny was extremely nervous about the return of Steve's ex-girlfriend, can you imagine the guy?

The detective had contacted Alicia to tell her what had happened, hoping she could spend the night with Steve, but she was off the island, visiting relatives with Sienna. She was very worried, but could not go back for at least a few days.

Hell that Steve never had his girlfriends around when he really needed them.

Danny was pleased to see Steve's truck in the driveway, he was afraid the schmuck had resolved to drive with one arm out of commission.

But then the joy was of short duration when he found an extremely quiet house.

By the time Super-SEAL should have been awake for a long time and getting crazy for having to rest the injured arm.

"Hey Steve! Are you in home?" Danny screamed and got no answer, the only thing he heard was Eddie's paws that ran to the door at the sound of detective."

"Hey buddy, where's Steve huh?" Danny spoke to Eddie as he scratched the dog's ears.

Eddie allowed himself a moment to be stroked by Danny and then ran up the stairs to his owner's room. Danny ran after the dog, feeling a surge of anxiety as he climbed the stairs.

Upon arriving in Steve's room, Danny's heart fired. He was apparently asleep, sprawled out on the bed, but the detective knew it was too late for Steve be sleeping yet, even on a weekend, which could only mean he was not feeling well. He ran to his friend's side and put two fingers to his throat and sighed in relief, Steve was alive.

But he also felt that he had a furious fever.

Damn it! He must have gotten an infection from the shoulder wound. With his compromised immunity, it was not a surprise at all. Danny thought.

Danny then began to shake Steve's good shoulder so that he would wake up, so they could measure the fever and know if they would have to go to ER.

After some insistence, two gray, feverish eyes stared at Danny's blues.

"Hey Super-SEAL, your brain is boiling inside your head, come on, let's measure this furious fever and know if I have to drag your ass to the hospital in the middle of Saturday."

Steve sat up in bed clearly out of the air, in pain and feeling miserable. Danny made a sympathetic grimace.

"I don't feel so good..." It was the only thing Steve was able to manage in response.

"I know. Now come on, open your mouth. That is it. Good boy." Danny teased and got a dirty look in return.

The thermometer beeped and Steve looked at the value. He then closed his eyes in frustration and leaned back at the pillows. He knew what that number meant.

"103.5. You just got a wonderful Saturday at the hospital." Danny shook his head, feeling very sorry for his friend.

* * *

The rule was, fever above 100 wins a trip to the ER. Steve's doctor was categorical. With radiation poisoning and liver transplant, they could not risk it. A simple infection could cause a rejection that was potentially fatal.

Steve was admitted as soon as he arrived at Tripler's ER. The fever was high enough to require urgent treatment. Steve was now connected to an IV and several monitors.

And in a bad mood.

"That sucks." Steve mumbled for the hundredth time since they'd arrived at the hospital.

"I know partner. I'm sorry." And Danny really did. Steve was an incredible guy who did not deserve all this drama.

Soon after, the doctor who answered him in the ER entered with an expression of few friends. Danny tried not to freak out.

"Commander, we have the results of your preliminary exams and they are worrisome."

Oh Gosh. Danny was officially terrified.

"What is wrong with him, Dr.?" Danny voiced his panic as usual.

"In the beginning, when you came in here in the ER, we imagined that the commander had contracted an infection from his gunshot wound, which is perfectly common. But preliminary results showed no infection. The cause of the high fever you've been experiencing is a sudden drop in your blood levels." The doctor fired and waited for the information to sink into both men. At the end of their speech, both had wide eyes.

"What does that all mean?" Steve went straight to the point, as usual.

"I can't say for sure, but they are strong indications that there is something serious going on in your body. We contacted the doctor accompanying your transplant and also a radiation haematologist specialist to better evaluate your condition. Then we will know for sure what is going on, but beforehand I can assure you it is not an infection of your bullet wound, which is healing well by the way."

"Shit." Danny let go and started pacing the room.

"Danny! Stay calm, we don't know what it is yet. It may be nothing." Steve tried to calm his friend, but the look in the doctor's eyes said yes, it was very likely to be quite serious.

"What the doctor just said Steven, if you didn't understand, which I find very difficult, is that you are probably rejecting my liver or have cancer!" Danny exploded, it was too frustrating to save.

The doctor simply didn't deny Danny's statement.

* * *

After losing his mind for a while inside Steve's hospital room, Danny decided to quit a bit. His friend's fever reached a peak of 104 and he was medicated with a dose of antipyretic horse and was sleeping.

Danny then went out into the hospital garden, he needed to breathe.

He could not believe this was happening. After all the fight to save Steve's life after the shooting on the plane, he was again losing his friend. It was unbelievable how fate liked to play with his life.

He did not want to imagine the worst case where he would bury his best friend. The guy who changed his life eight years earlier. It was like losing Matty all over again. If not worse.

But now he needed to be strong. For Steve and all the people who would be devastated if one of the doctor's two somber diagnoses was confirmed.

Steve needed them all now. To beat this more.

It was then that he made a decision. Steve needed everyone to care about him right now and there was a person who was trying to show that she really cared, so this was the time to show it.

To show that it was more than words.

Danny dialed a familiar number and waited for the person on the other side to answer.

* * *

 _What will happen now? Steve is seriously ill, how will people react? What does he have?_

 _Guesses?_


	5. Chapter 5

_Wow! Increasingly surprised by the acceptance of my story and happy to see that there are still people who believe that Steve and Cath belong to each other. Very happy._

 _Besides being a big fan of McRoll I'm also a fan of Steve Whump, so my story will have some of it ok? I hope it does not annoy everyone._

 _Let's now find out what's happening with Super SEAL._

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

Cath drove through the streets of Hawaii to the limit of recklessness. She knew it was dangerous, but Danny's call only minutes ago had stolen the floor from her feet. Steve was back in the hospital and by the tone of Danny's and the urgency in his voice was serious.

Cath even blinked, there is nowhere else in the world that she prefers to be than beside Steve now, even after the harsh words he had told her the day before. That did not matter now. She just could not believe that fate would play her that way. Was it punishment?

Soon she reached the Tripler that she knew so well and ran to where Danny was. He wore jeans and a T-shirt, a look so different from his overly dressed normal that he always wore at work. But what scared her the most was the terror on his face.

"Danny!" Catherine said as she ran to Steve's partner.

"Cath ..." He said and seemed almost relieved by her presence, which left her confused.

"What happened? He was fine when I left his house yesterday ... "

"Did you see each other yesterday?" Danny was surprised.

"Yes, I went to Steve's house to talk, but Danny responds to me, how is he?" She wanted to know what the hell could have happened so fast.

"I ... I went to check him this morning, made sure he was not running, or swimming, or driving with one arm out of commission and I found him burning with fever, practically fainting upstairs from the house ..." Danny was abnormally hesitant in his words and Catherine's heart twisted with the fear she saw in the intense blue eyes.

"So you came to the hospital, any word about what it might be? Maybe an infection from the shot?" Catherine asked, trying to get Danny to continue talking and without realizing she held one of his hands with both of her and felt him icy cold. Oh God…

"Yes, I dragged him here, because he clearly didn't want to come and the doctors collected blood for some tests and then ..." Danny could not utter the end of the sentence.

"So what, Danny? Please, you're killing me here..." She was desperate now, all pretense of keeping control completely lost.

Danny sighed. It would be complicated to explain Steve's current situation without talking about transplant, radiation poisoning, the very real possibility of rejection that would always hang over Steve's health and even C word, which Danny tried not to think otherwise he would get into screws. And it would not do any of them any good.

Catherine was looking at him extremely pale. And her hands was trembling, her brown eyes larger than normal and filled with pent-up tears.

"Here is the worst place in the world to have this conversation and Steve will be pissed at me for telling you, but given the situation I don't have much choice, Super SEAL will need all the support he can get now and you, despite of my personal reservations is one of the people who really cares about him."

"Danny, I'm losing my mind here, please tell me what's going on with Steve because of course it's not a simple infection from a gunshot wound ..."

"No, it's not ... it's a long story, but I'll tell you now and you'll swear to me here and now that you will not run. That you will not abandon him again, that will not break your heart again, because if you do it after what I'll tell you, I'll hunt you down in hell Catherine and it will not be beautiful this time, everything that Steve doesn't need now is another disappointment with you, he has had enough for several lives ... "

"Danny! For the love of God! I'll say it one last time. I'm not leaving anymore. "

Danny smiled. She looked really sincere this time.

"OK. Steve's health has been very delicate for the past two years. He remains healthy as ever but he has gone through some mishaps that even all healthy eating and miles and miles of swimming and running can help. "

"Jesus ..." She was afraid of what Danny could reveal.

"About two years ago we got a huge case of drug smuggling here on the island and then we went in disguise, Steve was a small airplane pilot and I was his mechanic. Everything went well until we were discovered. So the thugs turned that little plane where we were on a sieve and Steve was shot three times." The simple memories of the worst hours of his life made tears appear in the detective's eyes.

Catherine was already crying.

"He was hit in the arm, in the fold abdomen and in the thigh, cutting an artery. His liver was destroyed by the bullets and he had to undergo an emergency transplant to save his life ... "Danny can not help sobbing with the memories.

"A transplant?" Catherine was incredulous. That was not possible.

"Yes. I was the giver. Half of my liver resides in the nutjob inside that hospital room now. "

Catherine then surrendered to sobs, threw her arms around Danny, and held him as if her life depended on it. She could never thank the man currently crying in her arms for saving Steve's life. And how the hell did she not know that? And Doris? Did she know that her son had come so close to dying?

They spent long minutes hugging and crying when Danny walked away and continued.

"He recovered relatively well from the surgery, returned to work as if nothing had changed, disobeyed every postoperative recommendation and obtained a radiation poisoning ..."

"WHAT?!" Before Danny could finish, Catherine shouted. This can only be plot of a bad movie.

Danny laughed humorlessly, a bitter laugh, he also could not believe that Steve had achieved so many near-death conditions in such a short time.

"That's right. He disarmed a dirty uranium bomb and got radiation poisoning, so his condition is so delicate now. He is still suffering side effects from transplant and now from radiation sickness."

"Christ! How did all this happen? He was always reckless, but this is beyond comprehension..." When Catherine glanced back at Danny the look of accusation was back.

"Perhaps he imagines that his life is worth less than that of others. When we were in the jungle, in front of a dirty bomb that could decimate half the island, he took control, sent me away and disarmed the damn thing alone, because in his own words, I had to live to take care of Grace and Charlie . As if he had no one to care about him."

"This is so far from the truth ..."

"Hey! I know that, you know that, but he doesn't know. What he knows is that all the people he loves always go away. They always betray him, abandon him and he is always alone in the worst moments of his life."

"You've always been here for him."

"Yes and always will be, but as much as all women and some men break their necks when he passes, I'm definitely not on that list. Not that way."

Catherine laughed. It was a familiar joke on the island that Steve and Danny were married. She knew how that annoying both of them

"So, what's up with him now?" After hearing about Steve's near-death experiences, she could understand Danny's panic.

"His exams came back really bad. Blood rates are a mess. Excessive white blood cells, few platelets. It can be a lot of things. Since rejection to the liver, cancer..."

"Oh my God, Danny! What can I do to help? "

"Being here for him this time? He recovered from the transplant only with my help and the team of Five-0, Lynn went through the hospital a few times and stayed a few nights with him at his home, but the worst of the recovery, he went alone."

"Of course I'll be here for him. But what about Lynn? Will not she want to be here? After all, she's his girlfriend."

"No anymore. They finished some time ago. It was obvious to anyone with eyes that there was no love there."

"She seemed to like Steve very much."

"Yes, she was a nice, beautiful, interesting woman and liked him, but he was not in love with her and then finishing was inevitable."

Catherine tried not to sound too happy about it, but by the ironic smile on Danny's face she had failed miserably.

"So he's alone now?" She could not help but hope.

"Yeah, he doesn't have a girlfriend, but there's someone clearly interested in him."

"Ah…"

"Hey! But I'm sure she has no chance compared to what he feels for you. But please, don't break your heart again, I don't know if this time he'll be able to recover."

"I know I've said that in the past and I didn't keep it, I know you still don't trust me, but I'll guarantee Danny, all I want is to spend the rest of my life here with him."

"I'm glad to hear that Cath. Because I know there's still a box with a ring in his house. He was never able to recover from the proposal he almost made you."

"And I was not able to recover from knowing that he had planned to propose to me when I left."

Danny smiled. Now they were both on the same page.

"And there's nothing I dream more than he proposes to me one day."

Danny hugged Cath once more, he just hoped fate was kind to Steve this time.

* * *

Catherine and Danny were in Steve's room watching the Super SEAL sleep. The heavy dose of painkillers and antipyretics made the guy faint and did not even realize he was not alone. Doctors said it was good for Steve to sleep and rest, since the guy was usually hyperactive and did not take proper care of himself.

Then a group of doctors entered the room, asked only Danny to stay, since he was Steve's emergency medical contact. Cath went out to find a coffee and gnawed all her nails as she waited for Danny to come back and talk to her.

Steve was still asleep when doctors told Danny that Steve had severe, low platelet anemia that could cause bleeding and also had a swelling in the liver. They believed it was not rejection, but they need more detailed examination to state with certainty. The leukemia hypothesis could also only be ruled out after an examination of the bone marrow.

He would be hospitalized until the test results came out.

Danny sighed. The doctors' prognosis did not reassure his heart at all. For all intents and purposes he could still be losing his partner.

* * *

Catherine sat down beside Steve's bed. Her eyes were swollen from crying. After all Danny talked about the man she loves and the pessimistic prognosis of the doctors she simply could not believe that when she decides to go back to Hawaii and fight for Steve, circumstances were wanting to take him away.

She took his good hand, careful not to disturb the IV on top and neither the pulse monitor on the ring finger. She gently stroked the knuckles of his fingers that had always been soft in the touch on her.

"I'm here, Steve. I'm never leaving again. We'll get over it, together we can do anything. I promise you that I will be by your side every step of the way."

She then gave a soft kiss on Steve's temple.

Nothing and no one would take from her the right to live this love.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello guys!**

 **I swear I did not give up the story, just my work that has gone totally insane in the last few weeks and stole all my time to write.**

 **But come on, a new chapter and I will try to leave some more scheduled for the next few days ok?**

* * *

Steve felt his consciousness returning gradually, first the notion of the surrounding environment begins to sink, then the hospital's very characteristic smells, the memory of the reason being in that particular facility again and then something new, a hand holding his. A soft and delicate hand. A hand he could recognize anywhere in the world.

 _Catherine's hand._

Steve then forced himself to open his eyes to confirm his theory and what he saw warmed his heart, Cath was lying on the edge of his hospital bed, holding his good hand, careful not to dislodge the IV and the pulse monitor and snoring softly.

Her long dark hair was a lovely mess around her face and over Steve's biceps and he closed his eyes again feeling the scent so characteristic of her shampoo. He will not admit it even under torture, but he kept a bottle of the product that Cath left when she left last time, just to remember her scent whenever the missing was too painful.

After Lynn started to go to his house, he dumped that last memory. The fight over the engagement ring had been enough.

After some time of allowing himself to go back in time, where his life was practically perfect with Cath on it, Steve decided to take inventory of his body and how it felt.

His head was fuzzy because the painkillers, he knew this particular sensation well. His shoulder throbbed softly in the rhythm of his heartbeat where he had been shot. His muscles were sore, what he had learned in the last few months since his radiation poisoning that had to do with the eternal feverish state he had lived since his symptoms had begun.

More aware of everything at the moment, he stirred, trying not to wake Catherine that now, thinking better he did not even understand why she was here with him. Steve remembers very well to have arrived at the hospital with Danny, that at the moment was MIA.

Catherine, always a light sleep woke up with Steve's movement. She rubbed the last vestiges of sleep and looked at Steve, who looked like crap, bloodshot eyes, pale as the sheets that covered him, looking very much like someone really sick, but still the most beautiful sight that her eyes could contemplate on that afternoon.

"Hey sailor. Feeling better? "She asked smiling sweetly at Steve.

"Cath ... what are you doing here?" There was no grudge in his question, just curiosity.

"Danny called me ... I could not stay away from you Steve ... I needed to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine, Cath." Catherine just laughed. Typical of him.

"Yes you are. I already know everything Steve. Transplant, radiation poisoning. Why didn't you say anything?"

Steve felt his blood boil. Danny had no right to talk about his personal life with Catherine that way. It was not that Steve wanted to hide his condition that was in fact very public, the whole island knew of the case that had gone wrong, the plane Danny landed on the beach and Steve's transplant, the press had reported it exhaustively. He still received sporadic calls inviting for interviews about the procedure.

But Danny did not have that right.

Not with Catherine anyway.

"Don't hate him. He's scared. And he needed someone to share the fear he's feeling about losing his best friend." She said reading his thoughts as usual.

Steve rubbed his cheek with his good hand. He knows that this whole situation is distressing his partner. He sees the eternal worry in Danny's eyes every day.

"How could I say something to you anyway? It's not like I had any idea where you were when I was almost dead on an surgery table."

"I know Steve and I'm sorry I was not here when you needed ..." Steve laughed at Catherine's statement. It was hilarious. There have been countless close calls with death since he was tortured in Afghanistan. She really was out of all that has happened during all these years of abandonment.

"Cath ... talking about it will not solve anything. Long time already. My current situation is this. Maybe knowing all this will make you give up your crazy plan to bring me back to your life. I'm damaged beyond repair. You deserve someone better ... "

"Stop Steve! Don't say nonsense. You are sick. But we'll get over it. I'll be by your side every step of the way. "

"You do not know where you're getting yourself ..."

"Of course I know! And this time you're going to be sick of me, because I'm not leaving. Never."

Steve sighed, passed the hand that was not in the sling down his face, tried to put his feelings back in place, since they had been scattered all around since Catherine returned to the island and looked into the reddish-brown eyes he loved so much, He smiled and could not resist her anymore.

"Okay, but I need to talk to someone first, somebody who's imagining that we can have a relationship, since I figured you'd never go back to the island, I guess you know I'm not the kind of fool that betray." Steve really needed to talk to Alicia, they did not exactly have a relationship, but they were seeing each other in a few moments and it would not be nice on Steve's part to simply show up with Catherine without letting her know beforehand.

"Okay? Like, just okay?" Catherine still did not believe Steve was finally giving a second chance to their relationship.

Steve just smiled. He was still afraid to give himself to Catherine again and be hurt again when she decided to leave.

"I've never been able to say no to you, and as hard as it is to admit that, after all the times you've lied to me, I've never stopped loving you."

Catherine's eyes filled with tears again and she could not stop them from running down her face, a sob escaped her throat and she hugged Steve, crying copiously on his uninjured shoulder, Steve in turn, closed his eyes while stroked her soft hair and gave his heart to this incredible woman once more.

He just expected this time to be right.

* * *

 **Ok guys. They are together again, but we will have some obstacles ahead, things can not be so easy.**

 **I hope the reading has not become boring. I'll try to update as soon as possible okay?**

 **Thank you for all the incredible reviews you have left. I promise, I'll actually thank each other personally. Thanks to the guests, I can not respond through PM, but your encouragement is very, very incredible and makes me want to finish this story and give our favorite couple the chance to be happy together that the series stole from us.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello guys!**

 **I know it looks like that I died but not, LOL. Only real life that got too complicated and prevented me from sitting on the computer to write this new chapter.**

 **I also want to thank all the kind reviews about the story and several PMs saying how everyone wants me to end this story. This is what most encourages me to continue. Sincerely thank you all!**

 **I have lots of ideas about this story and also for some timestamps along the way so I do not plan to abandon the boat okay?**

 **I will sincerely try to be quicker in the next chapters, I also read fanfiction and I get sick when the authors I follow take forever to update their stories or simply abandon them without an end. I promise not to.**

 **Now, let's go to have a bit of fun!**

* * *

Steve was completely exhausted after his conversation with Catherine. The brunette noticed and encouraged Steve to sleep, promising she would only leave the hospital when she could take him along.

It looked childish to a man like Steve, but he managed to drift into a calmer sleep knowing that Catherine would stay with him all the time.

A few minutes after Steve fell asleep his primary care doctor arrived in the room. They had the results of some tests, Steve had a small inflammation in the liver, which was a side effect of the drugs against radiation sickness, to solve that they would change some medications and their doses. The anemia was really worrying and the low platelet count had to be resolved quickly so Steve would undergo some transfusions until the rates were normalized. The shoulder wound seemed to be going well, but it would be monitored and doctors believed that with the measures that would take the fever would recede on its own soon. Catherine sighed, no leukemia, for now at least.

The doctor promised to return soon to begin the first transfusion and intravenous medications to combat inflammation of the liver. Catherine thanked him and went back to Steve, who was still sleeping soundly.

"I'm going to take care of you this time, will be fine, I will not let you neglect your health anymore, I want many years of life with you by my side."

She was lost in thought, stroking Steve's hair when she heard someone knock on the door. It was Danny.

"Hey, is everything alright around here?" He asked as he approached his friend's bed.

"No, not yet, but it's going to be, and I'll make sure of that." Catherine said with authority and Danny frowned, she then explained the diagnosis and what would be done by Steve, Danny sighed, his friend really could not take a break.

Catherine explained in detail what she heard from the doctor. Danny nodded, still worried, but more relieved that it was not something more serious. After talking to Cath for some time, he left on the way to donate blood, knowing that his friend would need it again. The hospital's blood bank had plenty of Steve's kind, but Danny wanted to contribute to the refueling.

Catherine would still watch over Steve's sleep. She was going to make sure he followed every doctor's order this time. She could not think about losing him now that she had finally found him again.

* * *

Steve woke with Catherine shaking his good shoulder gently.

"Steve, hey, wake up."

"Mmmmm." It was the only thing he was able to verbalize and Catherine smiled.

"The nurse is here for a procedure, she wants you to be awake so she can explain everything." Upon hearing the word "procedure" he was instantly more alert.

"Hello, commander, your platelets are dangerously low, and we need to have some transfusions until the tests show more normal levels, okay?" Steve, who slept through the doctor's explanation looked startled at Catherine who just said, "I'll explain later." Even after all this time and all the trouble he still blindly trusted her, nodding he allowed the nurse to begin the procedure.

A few minutes later the nurse left the room and a new bag with a yellowish liquid was connected to his IV door. Steve closed his eyes, how could he be so tired after sleeping so much?

Catherine crossed the room as soon as the nurse finished the procedure. She took Steve's good hand in hers, kissed his knuckles, and began to explain everything the doctor had said. In the end the former SEAL seemed extremely annoyed. He had his face turned to the wall, avoiding looking at Catherine. He was swallowing as if he were avoiding the emotions that threatened to reach the surface. It was harder when you're drugged.

"Hey, it's going to be okay, I'm going to stay here with you.I'll take care of you and let's go through this together." She spoke as she stroked his hair. A tear trickled down the Steve's face, and he wiped it angrily with his good hand.

Catherine kissed Steve's forehead, knowing he needed to empty his heart, release all the anguish she imagined he'd been keeping since the transplant. She knew him well enough to know that he had certainly set a face before all his friends, even Danny. Steve rarely opened up about his feelings with anyone.

So he closed his eyes and began to sob. Catherine just hugged him, silently reaffirming that she was here for him for good.

* * *

The first platelet transfusion procedure ended. The nurse took the IV bag from the door, informed that other tests would be carried out to see if other transfusions would be necessary. She checked the machine that was controlling the antibiotics being infused into Steve's system, his saline drip, vital signs, and left them alone again.

After the emotional outburst earlier, Steve was too tired and fell asleep once more. Catherine was feeling exhausted physically and psychologically, but as she had promised, she would stay by Steve's side until he could leave the hospital and go home. And there she would continue to take care of him.

Catherine then settled into the chair beside the bed, where she could see Steve's face relaxed as he slept.

She was almost drifting off to sleep too when someone opened the door. She startled and straightened up in the chair to see who was entering the room and saw two women. They looked frightened between Steve and Catherine, as if not expecting their presence there.

One of them was older, she could guess that of Steve's age, or very close. She was tall, slim, very elegant. With her was a young woman, as handsome as, with features reminiscent of the older woman next to her, she imagined they were connected in some way.

The older woman came in, followed Catherine, held out her hand, smiled, and said:

"Hi, my name is Alicia, I'm Steve's friend."

Catherine just stared dazedly at both of them. Was this woman the love interest of Steve that Danny had mentioned?

A completely new and irrational jealousy emerged within Catherine as she rose, straightened and said much more firmly than she really did:

"Hi, my name is Catherine. I'm Steve's girlfriend."


End file.
